There are a wide variety of inflatable bladders. Bladders are commonly used as one piece inflatable balls for recreation, training and fitness. These type of inflatable bladders are often constructed of PVC, rubber or other elastomeric material and are variously referred to as exercise balls, sports balls, therapy balls, yoga balls and Swiss balls. The term “exercise ball” is used to collectively refer to these types of balls.
Because balls of this type having inflatable bladders are subject to puncture, wear and tear, and soiling, these types of bladders are sometimes provided with a jacket which serves as a protective covering which can be removed and periodically replaced or cleaned.
When it becomes necessary to clean the jacket or replace or repair the bladder, a problem often encountered by the user is that it may be difficult to remove the bladder from the conventional jacket. The opening in the conventional jacket is often relatively small making it difficult to remove and reinsert the bladder even when deflated. When the bladder is reinflated, there may be noticeable distortion at the opening resulting from concentrated stress at the opening and adjacent locations such as the seams of the jacket.